The Idaho County Sheriff’s Office handles a variety of civil papers that include tax warrants, protection orders, writs and other orders from the Court, notices to vacate, small claims, subpoenas and summonses. These papers are processed by the Civil Division in Grangeville and served by Sheriff’s deputies.

Some of the more common types of civil process we handle are:

Tax Warrants of Distraint.

The Sheriff’s Office is responsible for collecting personal property taxes. The Idaho County Treasurer provides the Sheriff with a Warrant of Distraint for each delinquency. Once the Warrant has been delivered to the Sheriff, a “Demand for Payment” letter explaining that the property will be sold if the taxes are not paid is either delivered to the delinquent taxpayer by an officer or mailed by certified mail. If the taxes are not paid, the property is seized pursuant to Idaho Code and the property is sold at public auction to the highest bidder.

Civil Protection Orders.

A person seeking relief from domestic violence under the provisions of a Civil Protection Order must file a petition based upon a sworn affidavit. These forms are available at the District Court Office. The Protection Order is served by Sheriff’s deputies.Note: A Restraining Order is not the same as a Civil Protection Order. To obtain a Restraining Order, you need to contact an attorney.

Writs of Execution.

The Court issues a Writ of Execution after a judgment has been awarded in a Court case. This document authorizes and orders the Sheriff to satisfy the awarded judgment by whatever means the Sheriff is directed in the letter of instruction for the prevailing party. One method of satisfying the judgment is to levy on specific or non-specific personal property belonging to the defendant and to sell said property at public auction. Another way to satisfy the judgment is to levy upon (garnish) the bank account(s) of the defendant. The bank will attach up to the amount of the judgment plus any interest and Sheriff’s fees incurred. These attached funds are sent to the Idaho County Sheriff’s Office and then forwarded. If the amount received is not enough to satisfy the judgment, another Writ of Execution can be obtained upon application to the Court. The Sheriff can also be directed to satisfy a judgment by garnishing wages. While this type of garnishment is usually of a continuous nature, there are some limits based upon the employee’s earnings.